Radio 104.5 Winter Jawn 2018 at Xfinity Live!

In the shadows of Lincoln Financial field, a pep rally/concert took place on Saturday, January 27. Winter Jawn, an outdoor event held by Philadelphia’s number one alternative music station, Radio 104.5, broke attendance records with 11,000 music-hungry fans attending the event. This year offered another impressive lineup: Saint Slumber, AJR, J Roddy Walston & The Business, The Struts, and Dashboard Confessional.

Philadelphia’s own Saint Slumber kicked off the event, providing an ethereal indie-pop sound. The crowd was very receptive as lead singer, Joshua Perna, led them to clap along with the beat. Touring behind their debut EP ‘YOUTH//1′, Saint Slumber was the perfect opener for shaking off the cold temperatures. They had the crowd jumping and dancing the entire set. ‘Human’ was certainly one of the highlights.

As AJR took to the stage, lead singer Jack Met was hobbling, explaining to the crowd that he just recently injured his ankle and shoulder. He said they didn’t want to cancel their performance because AJR loves Philadelphia. Playing an acoustic set, Jack Met sat center stage surrounded by instruments. The band didn’t miss a beat. Since the Super Bowl was just over a week away, AJR changed a lyric on ‘Sober Up’ from “my favorite color is you”, to “my favorite color is GREEN”, to the delightful roar of the crowd (many in Eagles clothing). The AJR tour continues throughout the U.S. and Canada until July.

J Roddy Walston and the Business took the stage and immediately jumped into ‘Don’t Break The Needle’ which had J. Roddy pounding the keys and whipping his hair like modern-day Jerry Lee Lewis. It was a musical starting gun, as the band never slowed down for their entire set. The hair was continued flying with each song consisting of a mini southern jam session with the crowd fist pumping to the beat. A highlight for us was their newest single ‘The Wanting’. J Roddy Walston and the Business tour dates continue through the U.S. until May.

A longtime Philly favorite, The Struts, were next to take the stage. The Struts and Philly have a special connection. IndependentPhilly.com covered them just over a year ago at the TLA, since then they have opened for The Rolling Stones, The Who, and currently, The Foo Fighters. Frontman Luke Spiller (a blend of Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury) is a true entertainer, providing a massive stage presence. Spiller is backed by some of the most talented musicians out there today, with Gethin Davies on drums, Jed Elliott on bass, and Adam Slack on guitar. Brit-pop never sounded so good in South Philly as it did at Winter Jawn. The Struts tour continues worldwide and the band announced a new record to be released in 2018.

As Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional walked on stage, the crowd roared as the headliner opened with ‘Vindicated’. The entire set was an 11,000-person sing-along. Dashboard Confessional covered many hits during their set list including ‘We Fight’, ‘Belong’, and ‘Hands Down’, before closing with a great acoustic version of ‘Heart Beat Here’. It was a great performance to end a great day of music. These types of mini-festivals are a great alternative to the programmed lighting sequence shows, and I think the band is more relaxed. This day was filled with great interaction with the crowd as each band really spoke to the audience (literally). Radio 104.5 is a driving force in the Philadelphia radio market and a huge reason for the music scene today in Philadelphia. We are already excited for next Winter’s jawn.

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